Cass: Intermodal costs down, linehaul rates up

In September, domestic intermodal costs fell 0.5 percent, year over year, and declined 1.2 percent month-to-month, according to Cass Information Systems.
Rates have stayed extremely competitive despite a rise in volumes brought on by a shift away from long-haul truckload, it said.
Linehaul rates rose 1.7 percent, year over year, and 2.7 percent when compared to August. In general, truckload demand is increasing, albeit slowly, while capacity isn't getting any less tight, Cass said. It's forecast that linehaul rates will remain flat in the near-term.